Robot love: Are we too dependent?

In my previous blog posts, I discussed our dependence on technology and the possible effects on our future generations. Because we have become so accustomed to technology, sometimes we fail to realize the extremes we have taken it to. According to Psychology Today, technology addiction is considered a new form of compulsive behavior. While typically when you think of addiction, you think in terms of alcohol or drugs. In a research paper published by Clinical Journal of Psychopharmachology by a psychiatrist at Tel Aviv University, stated that Internet addiction be on par with extreme conditions such as gambling and sex addiction. A technology addiction is clinically described as some one who prefer encounters with technology(Facebook, Surfing the Internet, Texting, etc..) over human contact. While technology has greatly benefited us, many people have substituted it for face to face human contact. This only leads me to fear the effect of this and our dependence on the generation to come.

Response to Robot Love: Are we too Dependent?

In response to my first blog post, Robot Love: Are We too Dependent? I want to point out the affect of our technology dependence on future generations. When you look back, its hard to remember exactly what we did before Facebook, Google, Mapquest, or Internet period. It's hard to remember the times where you had to actually had to call some one to communicate with them, or go to the library when you had an unanswered question, or even stop and read a map when you got lost. If our generation is slowly moving away from doing these things, you can only imagine what our future generation will be doing. The underlying concern is, what will happen if all of our modern day and possibly future technological conviences were to disappear? Would our future generation suffer from not knowing how to complete everyday tasks that are made simple because of technology? While it's difficult to imagine all of our technological advances 'disappearing', it is certainly a possibility. With computers taking over everything to everday tasks to jobs, would our future generation be at loss because of our dependence on technology?

Robot Love: Are we too Dependent?

Is our generation too dependent on technology? Its hard to imagine life with out mp3 players, TV, cell phones, Internet, or other technological necessities. Technology has become so attached to our everyday lives it seems we would be unable to function with out it. In a poll conducted by Fox News "Almost half of personal computer owners say they can't imagine life with out computers. About as many cell phone owners say the same thing about their portable phones". While technological advances certainly make our lives easier, you can only help but wonder what are the future effects of our dependence. For example, many people don't know how to read a map because there are GPS to feed us directions. If there is something you don't know how to do, most peoples first instinct is to 'google' it. And how many times do you use text messages to avoid talking to someone face to face? Situations like this only raise questions about whether our dependence on technology is good or bad. If all of our technological necessities were to one day disappear would we be able to survive? After all, just take a second to think about how much in a single day you use technology. If our generation's lives have become this absorbed with technology you can only imagine whats in store for the next generation to come.

Beware of Video Game Violence

Mature Video Game Rating-wikimedia commons

Being a gamer, I keep up with all the latest games and gaming trends. Playing games has been a hobby of my friends and I ever since we could understand what hobbies were. That being said, it is no surprise to me that video games has become a dominate industry. Video games have gone from being rather simple to highly sophisticated and realistic. Scott Steinberg puts this in perspective in his article "Why new music video games rock". Steinberg talks about all of the new features for the games that allow the player to feel like he or she is actually playing an instrument or singing on a stage. For all those out there who remember the games from generations past, these new add ons make the older games look prehistoric. Not only has technology for video games become more advanced, but competition has become fiercer as well. Of all video games on the market, the most popular games are those that make violence the center point. Ben Parfitt's "Modern Warfare 2 Still rules Xbox Live" gives a good example of the type of competition that takes place in the gaming market. The example given is the rivalry between Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 and Halo Reach. These two games rival each other for the top position on the video game charts. In both game plays the player has to kill the enemy to win. With the massive success of games like these, it can be hard to see what these types of games are doing to society.

Are young people who play violent video games more hostile than those who play video games with a different theme?  Kristin Kalning addresses this question head on in her article "Does game violence make teens aggressive?" this article provides information from a study conducted by the researchers of the Indiana University School of Medicine. This study consisted of two groups of twenty-two adolescents; one group played a violent video game, while the other played a racing game. The results of this study were that the brains of the children who played the violent game suffered negative effects in the emotional area of the brain, whereas, those who played the racing game the negative results were not present. With video games becoming more realistic and the violence seemingly becoming more real the negative effects mentioned are only going to get worse unless this dispersal of violence is stopped.

In her article, "Do You Know What Video Games Your Children Are Playing?" Pamela Eakes, who is a supporter for Mothers Against Violence in America, says that 90 percent of parents do not monitor the ratings on their children's games. If the parents don't monitor what is going on, how can anyone expect the kids to know if what they are playing is bad for them? Violence in games are destroying the mentality of  young people, so are we really going to let these childrem keep playing something we know that will hurt them?

Apple = Success

It is safe to say that Apple has become a popular company for technology. When thinking of the recent technology, most would consider IPods, IPhones, IPads, or other Apple products somewhere in their thoughts.
Without a doubt, the IPod is currently the most dominate mp3 player on the market; with the variety of models to choose from, there is an IPod model made for everyone. Currently phones are generally being made to do more than the normal, make and receive phone calls. Now almost all phones have the ability to browse the Internet and run applications, not just Blackberry phones. Apple, making an extension into the phone market, released the IPhone which was a huge success.

The Pew Research Center has done a recent poll showing that Apple has the most press appeal among technology companies, even passing Google, at about 15%; Apple has come a long way. Microsoft used to be very dominate, according to the article “Apple Outpaces Google in Media Attention – Both Get Positive Play” done by journalism.org, just 5 years ago it was considered by many as the most important technology company, ran by the richest man in the world. In the poll done by The Pew Research Center, Microsoft came in 5th behind Twitter and Facebook for the most media coverage.

Although I am a loyal Microsoft user, there is no denying the success of Apple products. The article “Apple reports record sales, profits for the holiday season,” done by Philip Michaels, writer for MacWorld, provides proof of Apple’s increasing popularity. According to Lance Ulanoff, Editor and Senior VP (Vice-President) of content for PC Mag, “In almost every category measured, Apple rated well above the average for tech support, reliability and repairs,” and Apple was considered to “reestablish its brand with the release of the IPhone in 2007.” Ever since then Apple has continued to increase in popularity with the release of products considered to be “innovative and superior in quality (journalism.org).”